This invention relates to a process and apparatus for charging a shaft furnace with a charging installation comprising a rotary or oscillating spout The discharge aperture of the discharge pipe is controlled by a dosing device operating symmetrically about the central axis of the shaft furnace and being surmounted by at least one chamber, the chamber being provided with an upper and a lower sealing valve; and also a dosing device for regulating the rate of discharge to the hopper.
The conventional and well-known charging installations having rotary or oscillating spout comprise two side by side chambers which alternately operate. It is well known that these installations suffer from the drawback of an asymmetrical fall of charge material on the spout, due to the eccentric position of the chambers in relation to the central axis of the furnace. In order to remedy this drawback, a number of systems have been proposed to rectify or alter the undesirable falling trajectory of the charge material.